I hunt on only about 85 acres. I do have a few neighbors that hunt as well. My question is am I wasting my time and money feeding protein?

OutdoorAg said:

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I hunt on only about 85 acres. I do have a few neighbors that hunt as well. My question is am I wasting my time and money feeding protein?

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Don't buy record rack. Buy cotton seed or black eyed peas from a co-op, even if it is only 85 acres, you might be able to hold deer on your place. It's an economical option.

Are you trying to grow bigger deer or just keep them on your place?

I would like to do both. I realize that I'm sure I'll be helping my neighbors out as well, but I was wondering if protein would hold them around my 85 acres. I've never fed protein before.

We have never fed protein either. There was a recent thread about this if you did a search could likely find it.

That thread suggested feeding year round. Other questions I have: Do you need on demand feeders or some specialty feeder vs broadcast? Do you set up protein feeders in place of corn or next to corn and just run corn during/around hunting season?

If you want to do it and your neighbors are hunters also, contact them and see if they want to chip in on the feed bill. You obviously need to throw in more so I'd offer to buy the feeder (I'd recommend at least a 1,000 pound feeder or multiple cotton seed feeders, depending on what you decide to feed), build the pen and buy a game camera so they can follow the progress of the deer and have proof you are actually feeding. Other than that, what do you have to lose? It'd benefit you the most drawing more deer to your place, would help keep the protein costs down and would most likely build a stronger relationship between you and your neighbors.

One more thing, if you have 85 acres, try to pool in a few more neighbors (depends on how your neighbors are placed around you) and get at least 500-1,000 acres worth of people on board. You'll be feeding deer within a couple thousand acres anyways, so might as well reach out to as many as you can within that area.

IMO you're wasting your money on such a small track of land

I would feed it. It's like crack to them once they acquire a taste for it and improves the overall health of the heard IMO. We feed it from February to October - but on a small tract, year round wouldn't be a significant price difference.

Maybe talk to your neighbors and have each of them begin a feeding regimen with it as well? You'll all reap the benefits IMHO.

We use the Purina with raincoat in several free choice feeders.

Do you set it up next to your corn feeders? Are varmints a problem with on demand feeders for protein?

dr_boogs said:

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Do you set it up next to your corn feeders? Are varmints a problem with on demand feeders for protein?

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We don't feed corn and protein in the same locations... but that's on considerably larger tracts. I'm a fan of putting protein in more remote locations that are only accessed to refill or grab camera cards.

We've had some success using the Boss Buck shark teeth for varmint control.

On a place that small, I would definitely try to place the protein feeder close to the center of the property - if at all possible.

Habitat first, protein second. What are your numbers? Is it grazed by livestock?

The property has mainly mesquite trees with some oak trees. There isn't a dense coverage but lots of trees nonetheless. It has two stock tanks on it and is not grazed by cattle.

If you just want to keep deer on the place the just feed corn year round. Corn is the most addictive.

OutdoorAg said:

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don't let the fact your neighbors will I would like to do both. I realize that I'm sure I'll be helping my neighbors out as well, but I was wondering if protein would hold them around my 85 acres. I've never fed protein before.

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It will attract wildlife, but it will not hold/confine them to your property. Bucks will range for several miles during the rut, and depending on the source(s) of water, and other protein sources available to them elsewhere, nothing short of an 8' fence will do so. It's not a waste of effort/$$$, but don't let the fact your neighbors will benefit as well discourage you from this .

OutdoorAg said:

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I hunt on only about 85 acres. I do have a few neighbors that hunt as well. My question is am I wasting my time and money feeding protein?

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Use the $$$ you might spend on protein for deer to buy beef. Then you get to consume the protein. Then go deer hunting.

GSS said:

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Use the $$$ you might spend on protein for deer to buy elk tags. Then you get to go deer hunting and elk hunting. Take Sean with you in case Ya see a bear.

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Fify

Quote:

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Take Sean with you in case Ya see a hottie.

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FIFS!

Call your local Biologist to see if it's worth it for your area. In Madison County, deer don't live long enough to see a great benefit from protein. According to our local Biologist, bucks see the most benefit from it from 5+ years old (in regard to antlers). In East TX most deer get shot before then (like 99%).
It will however, attract deer and might add some weight if they eat it for a few years, but corn can do the same and it's cheaper.
To that end, we aren't going to feed anymore; maybe I can cut you a deal on some protein feeders. Also, it will attract varmints like crazy. Someone asked...we have some B&C raccoons running around.

I have tried cotton seed and black eyed peas on my place in East Texas and the deer won't touch it!! I guess I should have mixed with corn at first

Thanks for all the responses. Since about half of you say go ahead and feed protein, and the other half say it's too small an area to do it, I'm still undecided.

I say do what you want, but the benefits will be marginal at best, and you'll never know for sure what difference it makes either way. Perhaps the thought of that'll help you decide.